PremiumWith COVID situation improving in Odisha, Puri's Jagannath temple will re-open for the public on August 23. However, from today, family members of the servitors are being allowed to enter the temple premises in the first phase of the opening, an official said.
The 12th-century shrine was shut on April 24 amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The temple also remained closed during the Ratha Jatra.
As per the official, in the first phase, only family members of the servitors will be allowed darshan from Mangal Alati till Rati Pahuda. They will be required to produce identity card issued by the temple authorities along with government ID proof like Aadhaar card.
People from outside Puri will have to produce these documents
In the second phase, residents of Puri will be allowed to enter the temple through the Lion's Gate from August 16, while general public will be allowed to enter the premises on from August 23, official said.
People visiting the temple from outside the city will have to produce the final COVID-vaccination certificate or COVID-negative RT-PCR report of testing done within 96 hours. They will also have to carry a government id card like Aadhaar.
The temple will remain closed on August 21 and 22.
COVID-19 update in Odisha
As many as 1,107 news coronavirus cases were reported from Odisha on Thursday. Meanwhile 67 Covid-related fatalities in the same time span took the death toll to 6,697, a health department official said.
The coastal state now has 10,853 active cases, and 9,73,579 patients have so far recovered from the disease, including 869 since Wednesday.
Khurda district, comprising state capital Bhubaneswar, reported the highest number of 397 new infections followed by Cuttack (130) and Balasore (66). Boudh district did not report any fresh case.
The new fatalities include 18 deaths in Cuttack, Khurda (11), Sambalpur (9) and Jajpur (5).
(With inputs from agencies)
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